Asgrauw is still going strong.
Formed in 2010 in the Netherlands, the band composed of Vaal (guitar/vocals, Libithum), Kaos (bass, Meslamtaea) and Batr (drums, Annwfyn, Meslamtaea, Sagenland, Schavot) offers a release every two years. In 2022, they unveil Façade, their fifth album.
Versplinterd hout immediately grabs us by the throat by mixing a cold and frantic rhythmic with morbid screams. The dark and mysterious rhythmic quickly mesmerizes us while the solid blast strikes, letting the aggressive vocal parts rage until the final where they calm down, then Geketend takes over with more majestic elements which skillfully blend with the ambient violence. The rhythmic slightly calms down to offer more haunting and majestic tones before charging again until Zielloos, a very raw composition with direct riffs which remind us of these Old School tones. The track’s energy gives it a wild atmosphere which contrasts with the more impressive parts and the quiet break, then Offerande returns to Black Metal’s cold and fast melodies without forgetting ambient keyboards and raw influences. The band offers us mysterious sounds to begin Tussen willen en kunnen before going fully wild, mixing frantic riffs with dissonant melodies and two types of tortured screams, then Hernemen will bring back some heady quietness in its riffs before they ignite again. Some Pagan roots are revealed in the track’s rhythmic led by screams while rage reigns again on As van de doden and its incisive riffs. The sound keeps its coldness, which fits perfectly with the atmosphere populated by terrifying screams, then the album ends with Levenswaan and its unleashed rhythmic inspired by Old School Black Metal’s, combining dark melodies, impressive vocals and a massive base.
If you are nostalgic of the Old School Black Metal wave but you still don’t hate majestic ambiences and heady melodies, Asgrauw is the band you should listen to. Façade is a cold but inspired album which can only touch you.
90/100